Warmth
by Trahnael
Summary: AU. They were two people that lacked the same thing. One was a grown-up man who never experienced a warm family love, and then there's the little boy whose parents gave him away to the cold autumn streets. They realize when they meet that they are probably the perfect persons to fill each other's emptiness. NO PEDOPHELIA INVOLVED.XD
1. Chapter 1

_Hi everyone! Expect ffluff. Please forgive me if I have typos, this was kinda rushed. XD Please enjoy and give this fanfic a chance! I have so many things in line for this..._

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Chapter 1.

Rin opened the door of his apartment, mumbling, "I'm home," a bit softly. As usual, nobody greeted him back a warm, _"Welcome back, Rin!"_ No one rushed to him excitedly to get a glimpse of his face, no one asked him how his day was or if he needed anything. He's lived alone for more or less a year now, after graduating college and immediately getting a job as a swimming coach in a university. It's never been warm and cozy in this apartment. Then again, even when he was still living with his mother and sister, their house was also always lonely after his father died. _Warmth,_ it was one thing he knew he never had.

Rin removed his shoes and put them aside, and then wore a pair of slippers afterwards. He immediately headed to the long couch in his receiving area, slumped himself there, and just threw his backpack behind him. He stripped himself off of his jacket and just sat down for a while. After getting enough rest so he could move again, he went for his medium-sized refrigerator to grab some food for his empty stomach. It was just as how his everyday life is. Dull. Today, he found not a single item in his fridge that was nice enough for him to eat after a stressful day. He'd just have to buy from the convenience store nearby again.

...

Drinking three cans of beer last night was perhaps Rin's worst decision this whole month of November. A contemptible idea as it is, he slept in because of it. The bad thing about that was that it was his first and most important rule in trainings and lectures to be early.

Rin ran to the train station and got aboard just before the train could leave. He had about forty-five minutes to get to the university, and the train took thirty minutes of it. And when he got off and went outside the station, heavy traffic greeted him. He'd be much later if he rode on any vehicle so instead he ran, because walking will take twenty minutes.

Rin reached the university. He stopped running and just walked when he was already near the gate. He looked at his wristwatch and was relieved that he was just on time, but then that relief was immediately replaced with something else, something indescribable, when he saw a mother hugging her son as tears streamed down her pale cheeks. They were just beside the gate.

The raven-haired boy strangely had no emotion in his face, even as he watched his mother walk away. Somehow, Rin felt his chest constrict painfully at the sight.

Unfortunately, he also had other things to worry about. Like going to work. So just so he could stop worrying, he asked the guard just by the gate to watch over the child while he's alone. And then Rin went on with his day. He went to classes and conducted lectures as usual; he organized his paperwork and checked his students' works as usual. The only thing strange today was the feeling in his chest and gut, the feeling of his heartbeat stopping and jumping, and the feeling of butterflies in his stomach. And as he sat behind his desk in the faculty room, he can't help but turn to the gate every now and then even though the boy, if still there, was out of sight from where he was. Rin did not know why, but he was troubled with the way the mother cried in front of her child. The scene he saw, it was as if the mother just said her last goodbye to her son. For a person like Rin, that was just confusing.

During lunch break, food was not the thought that occupied his mind. He hurried to the gate, only to find out from the guard that the child was still there. Rin hurried to the other side of the university's wall. And yes, the boy was still standing on where he has been since this morning.

Rin paused to think, but then he knew he needed not to think anymore. He walked slowly towards the boy, whose blank eyes watched as cars passed by. Rin was careful in approaching, and thank goodness, the boy did not seem threatened when he noticed.

"Hi there." Rin greeted softly as he stopped just beside the boy. Now that he was near, he noticed that the boy was probably just six years old. The boy carried a full backpack and wore a jacket that was not even thick enough for the season, but looked up at Rin with eyes blue and calm as a lake, with no fear or coldness evident.

"Why are you all alone?" Rin felt his heart skip a beat as he said the words and kneeled down. "Are you waiting for someone?"

The boy nodded once. "My father," he answered before watching the cars again as they passed by.

"Is that so?" Rin mumbled, uncomfortable at the idea of a father making his son wait like this. "But weren't you here since this morning? Aren't you tired or hungry?"

The boy only shook his head.

"Aren't you cold?"

This time, the boy flinched and froze. For a second, his eyes widened before they relaxed again and the boy shook his head for the second time. Of course Rin knew that that was a lie.

"What's your name?" he asked before removing his own jacket.

"Haruka," the boy replied and turned just in time to see Rin put another jacket on him. He stared in confusion. "Nii-san?"

"My name is Rin, Haruka." Rin did his best to smile. "You keep my jacket, alright? You need it more than I do."

Haruka looked at the black-white-and-red jacket that covered his shoulders and back, and the bag he carried there. "Thank you," he said, turning to Rin again.

"You know, Haruka, it's dangerous to stay here all alone," Rin said. "Won't you at least stay with the guard until your father picks you up?"

"Mother said I have to stay here," Haruka replied firmly.

"But you're too young to stay alone outside, and for hours at that. How old are you, six?"

"Five."

Rin felt the air knocked out of him. He stared wide-eyed, his lips parted, his whole body tensed. All the while, the little boy named Haruka was just as calm as he was since moments ago. "No way, really?"

"Do I look older, Nii-san?"

"No." Absolutely not. Haruka was small, his legs and arms were still short, his fingers were a bit chubby, his face was quite rosy; his skin looked so young and sensitive. But... "But you sure do speak like you're not five."

When little Haruka did not respond, Rin was not able to help but sigh all the air he held in unconsciously. He turned around towards the university gate where the guard watched them with concerned eyes. Then he turned back to Haruka when he noticed people starting to fill the street a bit. "You can't stay here, Haruka. It's dangerous." But then Rin felt a hand on his shoulder. It was the guard.

"I'll watch over the child, _Sensei_. You have to get yourself something to eat. I believe you have trainings this afternoon?"

"Ah yes. Thank you."

Rin went to the cafeteria to buy bread. He went back to the gate to give one to the guard, and one to Haruka. He left the child with assurance from the guard, but not without patting Haruka's head. Rin's father used to do that to him to comfort him when he was still a child, and he hoped it would have the same effect on the little boy now.

The afternoon went on. Rin had two classes in the afternoon, an hour of free time in between, and after those classes he also had a swimming team to supervise for two hours in training. His day in the university ended at six in the evening, and he meant to go home immediately. When he reached the gate, Haruka was still there.

"H-Haruka?"

The boy flinched at hearing his name, but he refused to raise his bowed head. Rin walked closer, and when he did, noticed the jolting movement of the boy's shoulders under his jacket.

"Haruka?"

Haruka was crying.

He was trying his best to hold it back, but Rin already saw the tears that stained his soft cheeks.

"Nii-san..." The boy whispered between sobs he tried so hard to suppress. He held onto Rin's shirt without turning and without moving anything else but his hand. "Nii-san... Father did not come..."

Rin took that small cold hand in his warm ones before kneeling down again. The pain in his chest worsened with only one thought in mind: _Why did they leave you alone here?_

He turned Haruka to him, putting a hand on each of the boy's shoulders. "Perhaps something important came up, Haruka," he said, even though he loathed the idea of Haruka's father not showing up because of something else. What could be more important than your own child?

"Nii-san..." Haruka tried to wipe his tears but Rin was quick to do that for him "Nii-san... Please take me with you instead."

Rin was certain his heart jumped at the thought. It felt like his breath was taken away again, but this time in a good way. But Rin knew better than to take this child away without thinking things through. Then again, the evening darkness was already devouring the last remaining rays the sun has for today. He can't leave Haruka here either.

Well there's the police... Maybe he can leave Haruka with them...

"Haruka, I can't just take you with me."

"Please, Nii-san. Even just... just this once... I... I..."

A hand travelled to pat Haruka's head and ruffle his hair. With that plea, Rin was already certain he wouldn't be able to find it in his heart to leave this boy, even under the police's care. "Okay," he said, smiling. "But Haruka, why not go back to your mother instead?"

The boy shook his head. He seemed to have stopped crying after Rin finally agreed. "Mother is sick. She's confined in a hospital. She said it's dangerous because I'll get sick, too."

"Alright. But we'll have to contact her, okay?" Haruka nodded. "You know how?" The boy nodded again, finally raising his head. The small smile on Haruka's face, and the tiny shimmering beads of tears in the corners of his eyes kept Rin drawn in and distracted, until he stood up and found a small hand clinging on the hem of his shirt again.

"Haruka," Rin called, earning the boy's attention. "Didn't your mother teach you to not go with strangers?"

Haruka's eyes widened before he bowed his head again. By now, Rin thought that that was the boy's way to hide his reaction. "Nii-san is kind. I..." Haruka mumbled, "I like Nii-san."

"You like me already?" Rin laughed, bewildered, and, the tiniest bit flattered. "That's nice. Thank you for trusting me, Haruka."

_To be continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

_Updated immediately coz I can't stop myself! HAHAHA! please enjoy this next chapter..._

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Chapter 2.

All the way home, an amused grin refused to leave Rin's face. It was glued on him, just like how Haruka's hand never let go of his shirt even as they entered the apartment.

"We're here, Haruka," Rin said as he closed the door. Then he took off his shoes and wore his slippers, which reminded him, "I don't have slippers your size."

Haruka took off Rin's jacket from his back and hung it on his short arm as he took his backpack and opened it, searching through the things inside. Then he brought out a pair of small blue slippers that could cover half of the feet from the toes.

"I brought mine in case I needed them," Haruka said, holding it out to Rin, showing it with a tad hint of pride in his deep blue eyes. Rin, for a while, could not do anything but stare in sheer amusement and surprise. A bubbling laugh escaped the redhead's lips as he returned little Haruka's stare with his own rubies.

"Really now. That's adorable, Haruka," he said as he reached out to ruffle the boy's hair that he realized was very, very smooth. But Haruka frowned, his cheeks tainted pink, as he said, "I don't want to be adorable, Nii-san."

Rin only laughed at it. Even though Haruka said that, there's nothing that can keep Rin from seeing him that way. In the course of one day, Rin has already grown to like the child. If permitted by the mother, he was planning to take care of Haruka for a long time. He suddenly wanted to.

Having reminded with that, Rin stood up and took his phone from his pocket. "Haruka, do you know how to use a phone?"

Little Haruka stared up, brows meeting on top of his nose the tiniest bit to show annoyance. He took a small folded piece of paper out of his jacket's front pocket, and gave it to Rin. Rin unfolded it. Inside, the hospital's name and address was written feebly on top of its landline number.

Rin sighed, looking at the paper, then at Haruka, and back. He quickly dialled the number. "Haruka, I think it's better if the people in the hospital, especially your mother, hear your voice first. Do the doctors there know you?" he said before pushing the call button.

Haruka nodded before taking the phone when it was offered to him. He put the phone against one small ear, and in just a moment a voice came from the other line.

"Iwatobi Hospital, how may I help you?"

Rin saw a split-second panic in the little boy's face. But Haruka was able to answer immediately.

"Can I talk to Okaa-san?"

There was a quick pause on the other line, probably when the attendant realized he was speaking to a child. "Okay. What's her name?"

"Nanase Hana," Haruka quickly answered with excitement obvious in his voice. "Please tell her it's Haru."

Rin was quite surprised to hear Haruka's mother's name._ Nanase Hana_. Rin knew someone with the same name when he was still in middle school. He referred to her as Nanase-senpai, a senior high school student, and an idolized female swimmer Rin looked up to. He and Hana were not that close, but they knew each other and actually got to enjoy one another's company a few times during merged practices. But the woman this morning did not look like the Nanase-senpai he knew. The one he knew was beautiful and cheerful; she had long silky dark hair and bright chocolate orbs. She had healthy and smooth-looking skin. Her body was perfect...

The woman he saw a while ago was almost the complete opposite with her pale face and weak movements and skinny form.

Was that what sickness can do?

"Okaa-san?"

Rin was able to escape his drowning thoughts before Haruka got to speak with his mother. Though it was probably improper at any circumstance, he found himself listening to whatever he may hear.

"I'm fine, Okaa-san," Haruka spoke gently, probably so the cracking in his voice would not be too obvious. Rin wondered if the boy really knew that. "Father did not come, Okaa-san..."

Rin did no hear much from the other line, but Haruka's responses said it all.

"Please don't worry. I'm safe... Someone from the big school was very kind and he... No, Okaa-san. I was the one who asked him to take me... He's a good person... I just know he is. He even said that he can't take me if we would not contact you... Okay."

Haruka held out the phone for Rin to take, saying, "Okaa-san wants to speak to you, Nii-san." Of course Rin took it.

"Hello? This is Matsuoka Rin speaking."

There was silence on the other line for a few seconds before came a weak voice. "Really? M-Matsuoka... As in... the swimmer... Matsuoka-kun?"

Both probably could not believe that they weren't speaking to strangers after all.

"Nanase-senpai..." Rin started, "is that you?"

"Matsuoka-kun," Haruka's mother mumbled again, this time with obvious relief. "So it was you after all... Who knew." There was a soft laughter on the other line.

"Nanase-senpai..."

"Thank goodness it wasn't a stranger who my Haru found after all... I'm at ease now. I'm sorry for the trouble, but please... can you take care of... him... for now?" Nanase Hana's voice faded to a stop, a pause, before she spoke again while Rin intently listened to her softly-released words. "I don't know why his father did not come. He said he would but... Can I trust you more to take care of him instead? Please? I'm... dying, Matsuoka-kun. No one else... will take care... of my poor Haru."

The plea was desperate. But even if it wasn't, Rin was planning to ask Haruka's mother about it anyway. Now he didn't have to.

"Don't worry senpai. I'll take care of him. We'll just visit you from time to time." Nanase Hana said her thanks. "But senpai, if it's okay, may I ask..."

"What my illness is?" Nanase Hana finished. "Fourth stage leukemia. The doctors said it was already hopeless." Fear was not evident as she answered. She sounded prepared; she sounded as if she was ready to die. But beneath her tone, Rin could also hear her anxiety of leaving her child alone. "If you want to... know more, I'll... I'll let Haru tell you everything. It was terrible that I... I had to open his eyes to... a sad reality at a young age but... I did it so he'd understand why we have to be like this."

FEvery word made sense somehow, but at the same time Rin thought of how horrible for things to be in such a way. He still affirmed and reassured Nanase Hana that everything was fine, before giving the phone to little Haruka who spoke of meeting again soon. The boy did not want the call to end, but his mother probably insisted so, and hung up. A pained expression crossed the boy's face for a second before turning blank again when he thanked Rin and gave him back the phone.

This situation Rin was in, every part of it wrecked his heart.

"I don't know how to call this but... I think you're lucky that I know your mother after all," he said with a desperate attempt to lighten up the aura surrounding them. He went to sit on the long couch, patting the space beside him to invite Haruka to sit there.

Haruka climbed up. He put his backpack beside him, making sure he did it right and it would stay put and would not fall. It was after that when he intently looked up at Rin, focusing on him with a blank stare, confusing Rin for a moment.

"What?" he asked. The stare the little boy was giving him made him uncomfortable, but nonetheless he still found himself unable to break their eye contact. "What?" he repeated, this time more uneasily.

"Thank you... for being so kind, Nii-san." The soft words echoed through the silent room. "Okaa-san is your friend, right?"

"Right," Rin answered calmly but his eyes were still wary.

"That means... I can stay with Nii-san, right?"

All of Rin's discomfort suddenly disappeared as another series of laughter came out of his lips. "Come here," he managed to utter. He enveloped young Haruka's shoulders with his arms and pulled him closer. Even though the two were still technically strangers, it felt nice when Rin felt a small warm body pressed against his. Haruka felt the same way, finding himself comfortable with the warmth against his back.

Rin's laughter faded into a smile as he patted the boy's head and let his hand stay there. "Why do you want to stay with me, Haru?"

Haruka flinched, and Rin noticed it. "Oh wait, could it be that you don't want me to call you that?"

"That's not it," Haruka answered, bowing his head even more. "I like Rinnii-chan because Rinnii-chan is kind... But..." Haruka looked up. And before Rin could realize, two small hands were already on his cheeks, one on each, near his eyes. Haruka was kneeling on the couch so he could reach up like that. "...Nii-chan you're sad, aren't you? Your eyes look sad. Kind people should not be sad. That's why I wanted to stay with you."

Rin instantly froze. There it was again, that jumpy feeling in his chest that somewhat suffocated him, yet, strangely, tickled him somewhere. It felt a bit painful at one point, as he felt his chest constrict again, but it also felt light and comforting. Haruka was a good boy, Rin thought. He was mature and understanding, and kinder than how Rin could ever be. Such innocence and pure heart, Rin was jealous of it all. But he was thankful, too. Because this innocent, pure-hearted boy named Haruka liked him. No one has ever said kind things to Rin like that. No one has ever cared for his loneliness his entire life. Why must it be a five-year-old boy who'd see through him and ask him that?

"If you say so, Haru," Rin dismissed just as he decided to call the boy with that nickname from now on. Haru did not seem to mind; he even called Rin back with something cuter. Rin removed the small hands on his cheeks and patted their owner's head once again. "Do you have a change of clothes by the way?"

"One," Haruka answered while staring at his bag. "Because Father did not come to take me."

"You won't need him anymore." Rin stood up. "You can change clothes in the bedroom if you want to, Haru. I'll check what I can cook for dinner."

Rin and Haruka had dinner together. After that, Rin asked the boy to sleep in his bed, which, though reluctantly, Haruka accepted. "I can sleep here?" he had asked as if it was a strange thing. But Rin had just nodded. "But Nii-chan, where will you sleep?"

"Do you want me to sleep beside you?" Rin grinned when Haruka did not know how to answer. "Look, Haru. You need to sleep comfortably since you're still a little boy. Besides, you probably got so tired standing by the university gate for hours." Haruka nodded.

Rin saw to it that the boy will fall asleep comfortably, and when Haruka has fallen into slumber, Rin carefully went out to buy clothes for him. Thick ones, most especially. He returned not long after, placing the shopping bags on the center table in the living room for now so when Haruka wakes up, he'd see them immediately. When Rin was already going to sleep, he first checked how Haruka was doing. He had planned to sleep on the couch, but the sight he saw changed that plan. He noticed that Haruka was shaking, and, crying. He curled and unconsciously held tight on the blanket. His face was stained with tears that reflected the little light that entered the dim room, and his eyes were tight shut etched with fear and sadness.

Rin moved as if he was dictated by his instincts. He went to the bed and lied down beside Haruka, enveloping the said boy in his arms and pulling him close to a protective embrace. He drew the boy's head close to his chest, supporting it with one hand as the other caged the boy's trembling body.

The trembling calmed somewhat, although the sobbing became more and more audible as moments passed by, until eventually they became mere hiccups. Rin was caught in surprise when a small trembling voice resonated into his ears.

"Rinnii-chan?"

Haruka had waken up. Rin untightened his arms against the boy as he looked down and met a drowsy, tear-stained pair of eyes.

"Did I wake you up?" Rin asked, instinctively wiping Haruka's cold cheeks with his thumb. "You were having a nightmare, weren't you?"

Rin's thumb stayed there on Haruka's right cheek. The boy did not answer, even as tears started flowing down his cheeks again and he began sobbing again. Haruka only nuzzled against Rin's shirt. He hid his face there and grabbed on it tightly. So Rin just embraced him again, protectively, as if the boy's actions were the invitation. Both fell into a peaceful slumber after that, warm and free of fearful nightmares.

...

When Rin opened his eyes th next morning, it was because of his sleep being disrupted by the frequent movements of Haruka's head against his chest. Despite already almost dug into it, Haruka still kept on burying his face deep, even in his sleep. Rin had to restrain himself from laughing, because otherwise he'd wake the boy up. So, since it was weekend anyway, he decided to just let the boy do what he was doing. Both of his arms were caging the boy, but one hand travelled to the boy's hair to stroke it gently. It was unintentional, but that seemed to wake Haruka up anyway.

"Good morning," Rin mumbled softy once he noticed that Haruka was already aware of his hair being stroked. Rin continued doing so. "I hope you slept well?"

He looked down at the boy, catching him nod. Haruka's face looked refreshed after a peaceful sleep, despite his eyes being the tiniest bit swollen. There was still drowsiness obvious all over that face, but he did not seem to mind waking up now, either.

"Nii-chan?" Haruka suddenly mumbled, to which Rin hummed. "Your body's warm."

Rin released his voice, finally, laughing softly after trying so hard to suppress it. Haruka never failed to amuse him. "I can say for sure that you like that."

Haruka honestly nodded. Rin took note that every action he saw was pure and innocent. Which made the boy even more adorable. "Nii-chan, will we... always sleep and wake up like this?"

_Can't get any more adorable, really._

_To be continued..._


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry for the delay, everyone... I can't promise I'll be able to update immediately, too, because I still have a news article to right...

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Chapter 3.

"Nii-chan, are you sure it's okay?"

Haru has been asking the same question repeatedly for a few minutes now while staring at the many clothes Rin had bought for him last night while he was asleep. He and Rin had just finished taking a morning bath, and Rin showed him these clothes so he could choose what to wear immediately.

"Yes, I'm absolutely sure," Rin answered for the nth time now. "I went through the trouble last night of buying those for you, that's why rejecting them will make me _really_ sad. So just accept it and say thank you, `kay?" he added.

With that last statement, Haru became unable to reject especially because Rin emphasized what he'd feel if he did. The little boy just nodded, and picked a long-sleeve top and knee-length shorts to wear. Rin also changed into a casual shirt and jeans, since he had a short appointment to attend to at school even though it was weekend.

"Haru," Rin called after preparing breakfast and setting everything on the table. Haru slowly approached, his steps and movements silent even as he climbed up the chair and sat. The white top and blue shorts matched his form, making Rin even more delighted to see him wear them. "Haru, are you okay with this breakfast?"

On the wooden table were their plates and silverwares, a big bowl of rice, and a large serving of fried boneless fish. There was a pitcher of water at the side, and they had a bowl of soup each. Rin was not much of a cook, but having the head of their famiy die early, his mother was the one who continued working to support him and his younger sister. That meant that he was in charge of the house chores, cooking included. But ever since he started living alone, he never really cooked himself food anymore. So this was technically his first time after a year.

Haru looked at the things in front of him. By the blank look on his face, Rin couldn't tell what he was thinking. So it was a relief when he spoke. "Looks delicious, Nii-chan. Thank you for this breakfast... This is mackerel, right?"

"You could tell?" Rin asked, his tone was of amusement, just as he sat down himself. Haru only nodded.

...

Rin took Haru with him to the university. Even though he was afraid it might cause ruckus, he was more afraid to leave the boy behind that will make him worry all day. So Rin held Haru's small hand in his, and didn't let go even as they entered the gate, the main building, the faculty room. When they entered, they caught the room with the curtains drawn up and the windows open so the sunlight could easily welcome itself inside. All desks were full of papers, some were fixed well and some were in absolute disarray. There was only one other professor present, and he was seated behind his own organized desk, silently scribling Xs and checks on his students' papers.

"Morning, Makoto." Rin was the first one to greet his colleague and friend. The green-eyed man looked up, a smile immediately creeping across his face.

"Good morning, too, Rin," he greeted. He only noticed Haru when he stood up. Haru was beside Rin, holding onto Rin's index finger tightly as if he'd drown if he let go. Makoto caught himself restraining a laugh, and apologized immediately when Rin seemed pissed off. Makoto took a couple of steps forward and leaned down, his hands on his knees to support his weight. "Hey there..."

Haru's brows wrinkled down above his nose and he glared deadly, but him shrinking and moving a bit behind Rin said what was really up. Still, Rin only looked down and just let him be. After all, he was just as amused as Makoto was, even though he tried to hide that fact. He simply let his friend do his thing for now.

"What's your name?" Makoto kept asking, and Haru kept shrinking.

Until Rin already let himself smile and speak. "It's okay, tell him."

So Haru stared warily at the six-footer in front of him, which, in his perspective was already a giant. And answered, "Haru," simply.

Tachibana Makoto smiled even wider. "What a cute name. 'Haru'," he said, standing up to turn to Rin. "I didn't know you have a child, Rin."

Rin's smile turned upsidedown the same moment. His red orbs dug into his friend's greenish ones with the intent of making their owner feel discomfort. Even the tiniest bit would do.

"Not biologically, though," Rin said. Somewhere between the lines, Makoto figured he was wrong to ask that. "Haru's with me from now on. I hope it wouldn't be a bother if I bring him to trainings like this once in a while."

"Not at all," Makoto answered with a smile before he leaned down again to speak to the little boy. "I'm Makoto," he introduced himself. "Let's be good friends, okay?"

Haru looked up to Rin to consult him silently about it. Rin smiled calmly, and nodded. So Haru also nodded at Makoto. "Is Makoto kind, too?"

"Yes, don't worry."

The three went to the pool house after that. Rin and Makoto walked side by side, both using one hand to hold on Haru's. The little boy walked in between them, one hand still held onto Rin's index finger while another held onto Makoto's. They kept themselves like that until they reached where the splashes and the noise and the whistles came from. They entered, and were immediately welcomed by the sight of two adjacent large swimming pools which were currently occupied by what the two professors already knew as their swimming team. The pools were drenched with the morning sunlight which entered through the large windows on the wall. The silence that filled the air outside was pushed away by the echoes, the shouting, and the whistles and the sounds of the movements in the water produced. The sight and music were not new to Rin and Makoto; in fact, they knew it so well that they almost can't get it out of their heads. But all of this was new to Haru. Knowing that, Rin looked down, and so did Makoto a second after.

Only to find Haru's sapphire orbs shining with excitement, something Rin had not thought possible for a very stern child like Haru.

Well, not like he knew the boy well already, anyway.

Makoto let go of Haru's hand the moment he detected the boy's excitement. "Do you want to look around?" he asked before turning to Rin to silently seek his approval.

Rin looked at him as he considered it, before looking down at Haru again. "Well Haru, do you?"

Haru looked up abruptly, maybe too abruptly, and nodded once. His eyes still glimmered, pleading, as if he'd explode if Rin won't let him go soon. To this, Rin smiled and said, "I'll show you around, so stay close. I don't want to see you drown, alright?"

Makoto laughed beside him, but stopped when Rin glared. "I didn't know you have that side, Rin! Really, I didn't!"

"Shut up, Makoto," Rin dismissed and turned back to Haru again. "Haru you'll stay close, okay? And don't go near the pool. It's too deep, whether or not you already know how to swim."

Haru nodded again before Rin let him go. Haru almost ran towards the pool, then he stopped a few feet away to watch. When Rin was already sure Haru would stay there, that's when he turned to Makoto, sensing that his friend has been meaning to say something. "So?"

Makoto's smile faded. His easy and calm expression just a while ago lost its ease and turned tensed and serious. "Who's Haru, if he isn't yours?"

Rin grinned. "He's now mine, technically," he kidded to start, before his own grin disappeared. "But... to put it seriously, do you remember Nanase-senpai? Nanase Hana-senpai?"

Makoto's brows wrinkled briefly in confusion before shooting up in realization as his eyes widened. "Don't tell me..?"

"Well yeah, Haru is senpai's son," Rin said anyway. "But really, it was pure coincidence."

"Coincidence?" Makoto asked. "What do you mean?"

So Rin told him what happened the previous day, starting from the moment he first saw Haru, to lunchtime, to early evening. "I did not know that senpai was his mother until I spoke to her on the phone last night," he ended.

...

Meanwhile, Haru who was clueless of the two adults' conversation watched as the swimmers dived in and became one with the water. He has not noticed that someone was already watching him as well, seated on the bench just beside him.

"Yo!" The voice echoed inside Haru's head. He turned, despite not wanting to remove his eyes from the water. A blond-haired guy was sitting there, and was smiling at him. "What's your name little guy? Whatcha doing here?"

"Haru," the boy answered as he pointed at himself with those tiny fingers of him. Then he turned to where Rin and Makoto was. "Rinnii-chan brought me here."

The blond guy followed Haru's gaze. Instantly, his face lit up as if he's also come into realization. He abruptly stood up, and called, "RIN-CHAN! WHY IN THE WORLD DO YOU HAVE A CUTE CHILD WITH YOU!?"

All noise and movements inside the pool house faded into silence and stillness. All eyes turned to one direction, and that was towards the blond. Then they stared at Haru, then at their coach.

Rin, meanwhile, turned quickly with a shocked expression on his face. That shock slowly turned into rage, as Makoto's own surprise turned to amusement. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT NAGISA!? WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?"

"Eh?"

That was all the guy named Nagisa could say before finding hmself being thrown down by the corner of the pool and creating a big splash. Once he steadied himself in the water, he looked up to find Rin above him, eyeing him with eyes sharp as blade.

"Didn't I tell you not to call me that when we're inside the university, Nagisa? I'm still a professor here, I'm still a coach here, and you are still my student."

"Ehhhhh? But we're still friends, aren't we, Rin-ch- I mean... Matsuoka-sensei?"

Haru slowly approached the pool, watching Nagisa carefully even as he held onto Rin's shirt again. "Nii-chan who is he?"

"I'm Nagisa!" Nagisa gladly answered instead. "I'm your Rinnii-chan's friend, you see..."

Makoto also quickly approached him. "You can't be that careless, Nagisa," he said as he attempted to help, but someone else was already there beside Haru who already had his hand held out. It was the hand that Nagisa took.

"Thank you, Mako-chan," Nagisa said once he was on his two feet. "And thank you, Rei-chan," he said to the guy who helped him, a guy with bluish hair and eyes, and was almost the same height as Makoto.

"It's as Makoto-sensei said, Nagisa-kun. You can't be that careless."

"GET BACK TO TRAINING, YOU AMATEURS!" Rin shouted to everyone else about the same moment before he turned to Rei and Nagisa. "That includes you two."

"Okay, okay," Nagisa said. He left for the pool, but not without whispering a few words to Haru's ears. What those words were, only the two of them would know.

...

The training lasted for only two hours or so. When all of those were finally finished, Rin and Haru headed out. They took a cab to, Haru found out later on, the hospital where his mother was. When they entered, white hallways and white lights and people in white were the first to welcome them. The hospital's lobby was filled with noise of murmuring and of doctors and nurses calling out others, but Rin could not ignore how every sound echoed through. There was the cold silence despite the noise, there was the obvious agony floating around the atmosphere. Death and hopelessness lurked around. Despair rested on everyone's shoulders. Sadness was across people's faces, whether they were trying their best to smile or if they've already given up and just let the frow stain their faces. And somewhere at the end of these hallways, sounds of weeping would be heard. Rin was sure he was hearing one at the moment.

Rin's grip on Haru's small hand tightened. The thought of the boy being too familiar and vulnerable against this environment made his body rigid, his chest tight, his breaths arrhythmic. He looked down. Haru did not look even the tiniest bit affected with any of these. Rin wondered if it was because of the boy's innocence...

With that, Rin moved his heavy feet towards the assistance desk. When the nurse there asked him what he needed, he was almost unable to get his voice out. He had to clear his throat. Then he asked, "Where's Nanase Hana's room?"

"Are you a relative, sir?"

"No, I'm an old friend. I'm here with her son, and I believe Nanase-san has been waiting to see him."

The woman leaned down forward, to find Haru there, whose eyes were cast downward. "I see," she said after turning to Rin. "She's in room 104, just through this hallway."

"Thank you."

Rin walked through the hallway ahead with Haru's hand protected by his. He didn't know why but he felt nervous. He felt afraid. He felt cold.

"RinRin?"

Rin instantly froze before he quickly looked down. His eyes were wide, and his brows met above his nose. "What did you just call me!?"

"RinRin," Haru repeated, clueless of Rin's discomfort with the sudden nickname. "Are you all right? Your hand is cold."

Taken aback, Rin was only able to nod. Then the nickname echoed in his head again, causing pretty much every part of his body to stiffen some. "Haru, who gave you the idea to call me that?"

"Well... Nagisa said, 'You'll see his cute side if you call him RinRin'... I don't get him, but at least you're okay now?"

Rin did not know if he was angry at Nagisa or if he was thankful. After his shock faded away, he realized he was amused of Haru calling him like that.

They reached 104. Rin stared at the door in front, before he cuffed the knob with his free hand. That hand stayed there for a few seconds, before he actually got to convince himself to just twist it and open the door. Click. Creak.

Inside, Nanase Hana was lying on the hospital bed, unmoving, only staring at the ceiling above her. She was attached to wires, to dextrose hoses, and many other hospital contraptions. At the sound of the door creaking open, she turned her head sideward just as slowly. She watched as Rin stepped inside. Her eyes widened with relief at seeing him, and at seeing Haru, and at seeing Haru's hand protected by Rin's. She smiled. Then tears started to stream down her temples to her ears, and to her pillow.

"Haru..."

Nanase Hana's hand slowly reached out, in hopes that she could also touch her son's hand again just as how Rin was doing it now. With a smile, Rin offered the small hand he held to her, and let go as she took it.

Nanase Hana kissed that hand dearly, before carefully pulling Haru close to an embrace, and before kissing his cheek, and before being kissed on the cheek.

"I'm sorry Haru..."

"Senpai," Rin called Nanase Hana's attention, afraid that the mother and child might become a crying mess if this depressing atmosphere continued to surround them. So he made himself a distraction. "How are you doing?"

"I'm much better now than yesterday, for sure," Nanase Hana answered with a lighthearted laugh before she let go of Haru's hand and wiped the tears that stained her face. "Thank you for asking, Matsuoka-kun." It was the first time Rin actually got to see her clearly, and really, she was not at all the same.

Despite having a blanket to cover her, Nanase Hana's body was still obviously thin. Her skin, instead of being a light shade of brown or something alike, was pale all over and bluish-violet almost everywhere. Rin thought that she must have been suffering of internal bleeding for a while now, and her organs were probably damaged beyond repair already. "You didn't undergo chemotherapy, did you, senpai?" Rin asked.

To this, Nanase Hana shook her head. "I've always been too weak for that, even though I could say I used to be a good athlete," she said. "We could've gone for bone marrow transplant, but no one's compatible. As for stem cell therapy, well, I don't have healthy tissues to use anymore. And it's too risky to use other tissues."

Rin nodded, not knowing how else to reply. He paid a glance at Haru, who was just beside his mother, silent, but obviously delighted to be simply being right there. Then Rin spoke again, "So... what's up with Haru's father?"

Nanase Hana's lips curved the slightest bit downward. Her eyes landed on her son, considering him and his presence. Then she said, "Haru, do you want to go to the doctor's office for a moment? You haven't visited him yet... I'm sure he misses you."

Haru immediately stood up from the stool he sat on a moment ago. "I'll go to him and thank him for taking care of Okaa-san," he said before running off out the room.

When he was finally gone, the other two began to talk, Nanase Hana taking the lead. "He understands those kinds of things," she said.

"What 'kinds of things'?" Rin asked. "That he had to be somewhere else while we speak?"

Nanase Hana nodded. "Anyway, about Haru's father..."

"Right."

And so Nanase Hana began telling the story.

"I just graduated college when I met him. I didn't know he already had a family, and he never really intended to let me know. I loved him, and I thought he really loved me back... but I figured out in the end that he was just playing with me. When I told him I was pregnant, he disappeared the day after. I only found out about his whereabouts and his family when a friend found out and told me."

Nanase Hana shifted slowly and stared at the ceiling. A sad smile tainted her face, and tears stained the corners of her eyes. Rin, meanwhile, sat on another stool an listened to her with focus, his hands balled into solid fists he wanted to punch the bastard that was SUPPOSED TO BE Haru's father with.

"I did not want him to have Haru, but my condition worsened just this week," Nanase Hana continued. "I don't have a family to give Haru to anymore... I don't have anyone to trust him to after I die."

"Don't speak like that, senpai," Rin interrupted but the other only shook her head slowly.

"But the doctor said I might die anytime now. I could feel it, too. I'm just waiting for it to happen. That's why I contacted Haru's father because I thought he'd care enough for his own child, if not for me. But looks like it's not like that after all."

"Don't worry, senpai. I'll take care of Haru," Rin said.

"Thank you, Matsuoka-kun," Nanase Hana replied. "But I wanted to ask, why?"

Rin's face burned pink, as he moved uncomfortably in his seat and he scratched the back of his head. A sheepish smile was across his face, and his eyes were directed downward. "Well... you see... I think he cast a spell on me when he looked at me in the eye yesterday..." Then he laughed awkwardly. "I just thought I... I wanted to take care of someone who kept telling me he likes me."

Nanase Hana laughed softly. "I know what you feel, Matsuoka-kun. Well then, if that's the case, I have some documents prepared for you to sign."

_To be continued..._


End file.
